Posts tagged "tools"
Structured output for agents: schemas, contracts and ownership
Structured output agents hand over typed data, not free text. Define JSON schemas for tool results and outputs, version them and name an owner per contract.
Code execution agents or direct tool calls? Trade-offs for builders
Code execution agents can cut token use sharply by filtering data in a sandbox, but need isolation. Compared with direct tool calls on cost, safety and audit.
LLM cost optimization for agents: caching, code execution and budgets
LLM cost optimization for agents: where prompt caching pays off, when code execution beats tool calls, and why hard per-run token budgets protect security too.
Context engineering: the smallest set of tokens that does the job
Context engineering treats the context window as a finite budget. Practical ways to keep it small: compaction, sub-tasks with own context, notes.
Writing tools agents can actually use: names, schemas and errors
Tool design for AI agents is interface design for a model reader. A checklist for names, namespaces, narrow schemas and errors, and how small tools ease policy.
Tool, skill or prompt? Three ways to give an agent what it needs
Agent skills vs tools vs prompts: a tool acts, a skill packages know-how loaded on demand, a prompt is standing text. Includes a decision table.